IT was a pleasure to attend the national demonstration called by NATFHE in support of Pat Walsh, sacked in the most disgraceful manner by Mr Austin and his puppets.

I hope they are proud of their achievements in sacking 278 full-time and 340 part-time lecturers and I hope they will accept that, when the college is disrupted by industrial action, the responsibility lies solely with them.

Any Trade Union faced with behaviour like this, from any employer, has little alternative.

You cannot expect any other response to an employer who plays politics with jobs and disrupts students' education at a crucial time.

Pat Walsh continues to offer tutorial support to his students and we are happy to provide facilities in our office.

If Mr Austin and his governors had the same commitment to the students as Pat has, they would not have acted as they have. It would appear to me that the only action appropriate for Mr Austin and 'his' governors is to do the honourable thing and resign.

JIM BOWIE, TGWU District Secretary.

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